Penticton

Geography

Penticton is located in the Okanagan Valley, on a 7km/4.3mi-wide strip of flat land between Okanagan Lake to the north and Skaha Lake to the south.

The Okanagan River, constrained within a man-made channel, connects the two lakes. To the east and west and along the shores of both lakes, residential development mingles with farms, orchards and vineyards that climb the dry lower hillsides and spread across elevated benchlands.

Topography & Terrain

Penticton's topography is often dramatic with massive rock outcrops, towering granite cliffs, like the Skaha Bluffs, and walls of clay pockmarked with bird roosts and eroded into fanciful hoodoos (rock spires). Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir covers the mountainsides that rise to forested highland plateaus. Here the rolling terrain is punctuated by small fishing lakes and the occasional taller peak like Apex Mountain. The Monashee Mountains, in the Columbia Range, lie to the east while the Cascades to the west cause the rain shadow effect that produces the area's semi-arid climate.

Waterways

Penticton is located at the south end of Okanagan Lake, which stretches 111km/69mi north to the city of Vernon. Downtown waterfront parks provide public access to the full sweep of shoreline with sandy Okanagan Beach, a marina, boat launch and grassy parks. With the exception of Lake City Resort and Casino, all development is restricted to the south side of Lakeshore Drive, across the street from the beach. Stroll along the lakeside walkway, stop for ice cream, catch some rays over a lakeview patio lunch, explore local history aboard the SS Sicamous, walk out the pier, or spend a quiet moment in the Penticton Rose Garden or Ikeda Japanese Garden.

The public also enjoys full access to the northern shoreline of Skaha Lake, which stretches approximately 12km/7.5mi to Okanagan Falls. With three contiguous beaches, Airport Beach, Sudbury Beach and Skaha Beach, this area is popular for family picnics, swimming, wind and kite surfing. A public boat launch is located at Skaha Lake Park.

Connecting the two lakes, the Okanagan River is constrained within a man-made channel. In summer, this narrow waterway hosts a lively ongoing party as kids and families ride with the gentle current on inner tubes, air mattresses, pool toys – anything that floats.

Apex Mountain

Apex Mountain, located 33km/20.5mi west of Penticton on the Thompson Plateau, is the tallest nearby peak at 2,191m/7,187ft. On average, 600cm/19.7ft of dry champagne powder snow falls annually, making for great skiing conditions at Apex Mountain Resort from late November through March.

Climate

Penticton experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are long and hot with average daily highs in July of 28°C/82°F and many days well into the 30°C/90°F. Humidity is very low. Winters are short and mild with average January highs of -0.9°C/30°F and little snow. Penticton can be windy, especially in fall, winter and early spring. Wind speeds average 9km/6mi per hour to 16km/10mi per hour, but can be much stronger, ideal for wind- and kite-surfing on Skaha Lake. Spring is marked by an abundance of showy wildflowers, especially the yellow arrowleaf balsamroot that carpets the hillsides, while sagebrush perfumes the air from spring through autumn and blooms in late summer. Precipitation averages just 332.7mm/13.1in annually.

Variations in altitude make the seasons elastic. It's perfectly feasible to enjoy a morning of spring skiing at Apex Mountain Resort, then play an afternoon round of golf in Penticton.

Dress in layers year round and especially when visiting the mountains in summer. Temperatures and weather conditions can vary quite dramatically.

Winter tires are strongly recommended when heading to Apex from early autumn through late spring. Road conditions at higher elevations can be treacherous even when excellent in the valley. Four-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicles are best suited for rugged backcountry travel.